Meat mold



Patented Oct. 3, 1933 v e 1 92 77..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEAT MOLD Max Britt and Marinus Vanderkloot, Chicago, 11L, 'assigners, by mesne assignments, to Industrial Patents Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corpora: tion of Delaware Application June 20, 1931. Serial No. 545,636

8 Claims. (o1.10o-57) The invention relates to improvements in meat of the screw. The annular flange is mounted molds, more especially to a rectangular elongated between spaced bearing plates '14 secured to the ham boiler. H outer face of the adjustable end plate 9 by rivets The object of the present invention is to proor other suitable fastening devices and having vide a meat mold having an adjustable end plate offset inner portions forming recesses to reto vary the length of the mold and equipped with ceive opposite peripheral portions ofthe annular a spring pressed top pressing plate or cover adaptflange 13 and partially embracing the' same. ed to apply initial pressure to meat to mold the The oiiset portions of the plates 14 are annular same into rectangular shape and yieldingly enand extendfrom the top to the bottom of the Q gage the meat so that when the end plate is furplates to enable the adjustable end plates to be 'ther adjusted to create sufiicient pressure on the readily inserted in the mold and engaged with and meat to raise, shiftor level the top pressing plate disengaged from the flange of the screw; The or cover to vary the spring pressure of the top spaced plates 14 provide a bearing or swivel conplate or cover on various portions of a ham, the nection forthe screw which is adapted to move 15 mold will produce a more uniform rectangular the end plate inwardly or outwardly. shape of ham and at the same time the top spring The adjustable end plate 9 is provided at its pressed plate or cover will keep and'concentrate outer face with a marginal flange 16 rounded the grain of thepiece of'meat in one direction; 1 at the corners of the plate and conforming to In the drawing: r the configuration of the interior of the mold and 3 i u e 1 is a plan view of a meat mold conforming broad bearing surfaces to slide on the structed in accordance with this invention. I walls of the mold and also on the lower face of Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectionalview. an upper horizontal pressing plate 1'7. The flange Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the meat mold. 16 extends across the adjustable end plate at the Pig. 4 isa transverse sectional view of the same. bottom thereof and vertically at the side edges 25 In the accompanying drawing, in which is ilthereof and inwardly at the top of the adjustlustrated the preferred embodiment of the invenable plate and terminates at thetop atspaced tion; a rectangular elongated ham boiler is shown points to provide an opening in the flange at the having a mold comprising a body 1 constructed top of the end plate. of sheet metal or other suitable material and com- The top pressing plate which constitutes a prising vertical side walls, a horizontal bottom cover for the body of the mold, forms a solid wall 2, and vertical'end walls 3 and 4 which may block to cooperate in the molding of the meat be either formed integral or of separate plates with the hollow block formed by the body of or pieces welded to the side walls'and bottom. the mold. This top pressing plate or member The body of the moldjwhich constitutes a hollow consists of a flat plate having a cup shaped low- 35 block, is rounded at 5 at the juncture of the side er face 18, and it is provided at its upper face walls and bottom wall to facilitate cleaning the with short vertical tubes 19 adapted to center mold. and retain in po'sition'the lower portions of ver- The end wall 3 isprovidedwith an opening 6 tically disposed coilsprings- 20 which are interand has a threaded collar '7 mounted on it exteposed between the pressing plate or member and riorly of the end Wall 3 and arranged concentric a locking bar 21 located above the body of the with the said opening to receive a horizontal screw mold and extending longitudinally thereof and 'Bwhich is swiveled at'its inner end to an adjustadjustably connected at its ends with the mold able end plate 9. The end plate 9, which has a cup body by means ofphook bars 22. The upper pressshaped inner face 10 to engage one end of the ing plate or cover is oblong andextends the enmeat; is adjustable along the mold by the said tire length of the mold, and also entirely across screw tovary the length of the mold. The threadthe space between theside walls of the mold, and ed collar serves as a nut and when the screwis the springs, which are spaced equi-distant from rotated by means of a suitablehan'dle 11, the adthe side walls of the mold and the opposite sides justable end plate 9' is moved backwardly or forof the center of the mold, urge the pressing wardlyaccording to the direction ofrotation of plate or cover downwardly and maintain a con- 1 the screw. The handle 11 preferably consists stant pressure on the meat being molded. v of a tapered pin inserted in an opening in the r The locking bar 21 is preferably reinforced outer end of the screw. The inner end of the by a longitudinal rib or flange 23 having annuscrew is provided with a reduced smooth portion lar bosses or enlargements 24 which are counter- 12 having an annular flange 13 at the inner ends sunk to receive the-heads 25 of vertical screws 26. The screws 26 pass through the tubes 19 and have lower threaded ends 27 which are threaded into the upper pressing plate. The locking bar is also provided at its lower face with depending annular bosses 28 which center the upper ends of the coiled springs. The screws limit the separation of the locking bar and the pressing plate and they are adapted to slide in openings 29 in the locking bar to permit the operation of the springs both in the tensioning of the latter and in any upward movement of the pressing plate when pressure is applied to the meat by'the adjustable end plate.

The springs are placed under tension by means of the hook bars 22 which engage lugs 30'of end hooks 31 welded or otherwise secured to the ex terior of the end walls 3 and4 of the moldand located at the top thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The hook bars are pivoted by suitablepintles 32 to the ends ofthe locking bar, and are adapted to be readily swung into and out of engagement with the lugs of theend hooks. 1

Meat previously prepared is placed in the open topiorm or mold, the inside length of which maybe varied by means of the screw operated adjustable end plate 9. The product is pressed into a rectangular shape, first, by applying pressure to the .top pressing plate, which presses firmly against themeat and is held secure by means of the springs and the hook'bar s, and second, by applying end pressure to the meat. The screw is operated andthe adjustable end plate is pressed firmly against the end of the meat, creating sufficient pressure to raise, shift, or level the cover or pressing plate and to vary the extreme pressure of the cover on various portions of the ham. V 7

The meat is cooked or chilled in the mold an when cooked or chilled assumes a rectangular shape, the cross section being fixed by the height of the end plate, the pressure of the top plate against the end plate and the meat, and the redistribution of the pressure caused by turning the screw and forcing the end plate inwardly. The height and length are dependent upon the weight of the piece of -meat. The cross section of the meat can be controlled and made larger or smaller by increasing and decreasing the vertical dimension and consequent area of theend plate.

The advantage of the top pressing plate in addition to the end pressure is that it keeps and concentrates the grain of the piece of meat in one direction. The adjustable end plate constitutes an adjustable end wall for the mold, and by applying unyielding pressure to the meat by the adjustable end wall, while maintaining a con stant yieldable pressure upon the meat by means of the top pressing plate, meat of irregular form,

such as hams, is molded into a more uniform square or rectangular shape than heretofore, as the meat adjusts itself under the action of the top pressing plate and the top surface of the meat is substantially flat in the finished product. What'is claimed is: 1. A meat mold of the class described comprising a body open at the top, an adjustable end wall of predetermined area arranged within and movable along the mold to vary the interior length of the same, a top pressing plate constituting a cover for the mold, means for applying a constant yieldable pressure to the top pressing plate, and means operable from the exterior of the mold for applying unyielding pressure to the adjustable end wall.

2. A meat mold of the class described comprising a body open at the top, an adjustable end wall of predetermined area arranged within the body, a top pressing plate constituting a cover for the mold, means for applying yieldable pressure to the top pressing plate, and a screw operable from the exterior of the mold even when the mold "is closed, which screw is operatively connected with the adjustable end wall for moving the same 'to vary the interior length of the mold and also to apply pressure to the meat.

3. A meat mold of the class described comprising a body open at the top, an adjustable end wall of predetermined area arranged within the mold, a top pressingplate arranged within the mold and forming a cover for the same and adapted to rest upon the adjustable end wall, means for applying a, constant yieldable pressure against the top pressing plate, and means operable from the exterior of the mold even when the mold is closed for, sliding. the adjustable end wall along the mold and the lower face of the pressing plate to apply pressure to the meat While the same is yieldably engaged by the pressing plate. a

4. Ameat mold of the class described comprising a body open at the top, an adjustable end wall of predetermined area arranged within and slidable along the body and provided with a marginal flange forming a relatively broad bearing surface at thev top, sides and bottom of the adjustable plate, a, top pressing plate constituting a cover for the mold and arranged within the body and resting uponthe adjustable end plate, a screw mounted in the mold and extending interiorly and exteriorly thereof and operatively connected to the adjustable end plate, a locking bar located above the mold and adjustably connected at its ends with the same, and springs interposed between the locking bar and the pressing plate and tensioned by the adjustable connections between the locking bar and the determined area arranged within the mold and having marginal flanges slidable on the side and bottom walls ofv the mold, said marginal flange terminating at opposite sides of the center of the top and providing a central opening and side bearing surfaces, a threaded collar mounted on one of the end walls of the mold, a screw extending through and engaged by the said collar and operatively connected at its inner end with the .adjustable end of the plate, a top pressing plate forming a cover-for the mold and arranged upon the top bearing surfaces of the end plate, a

locking bar located above the mold, adjustable means for connecting the locking bar with the mold, and springs interposed between the looking bar and the pressing plate for applying a .constant yieldable pressure on the meat while unyielding pressure is being applied to the same by the screw and the end plate.

6. A meat mold of the class described, comprising a body open at the top and having side,

viding a central opening and side bearing suropposite sides of thecenterof the top and profaces, a threaded collar mounted on one of the end walls of the mold, a screw extending through and engaged by the said collar and provided at its inner end with an annular flange, spaced bearing plates secured to the outer face of the adjustable end plate below the openingin the mold, and springsinterposed between the lockingbar and the pressing plate and applying a constant yieldable pressure on the meat while unyielding pressure is being applied to the s'ame'by the screw and the end plate. v

'7. A meat mold of the class described including a body having side, bottom and end walls, an adjustable end plate of predetermined area arranged within the mold and having a cup shaped inner face and provided at its outer face with a marginal flange extending around the sides and bottom and partially across the top of the end plate, said flange having its terminals spaced apart at the top of the plate to provide an opening and to form spaced top bearing surfaces, a screw mounted on one of the end walls of the body and operatively connected with the adjustable end plate for moving the same longitudinally of the mold to vary the interior length of the same and to apply pressure to meat, a top pressing plate having a lower cup shaped face and resting upon the top bearing surface of the adjustable end plate, a locking bar extending longitudinally of the mold and adjustably connected at its ends with the same, and springs interposed between the locking bar and the pressing plate.

8. A meat mold of the class described comprising an open top body having a solid bottom portion and integral with the bottom portion, a solid upstanding peripheral wall portion providing fixed end walls and fixed side walls, a vertically movable top pressing plate located within the upstanding peripheral wall portion, which top pressing plate extends the entire length of the mold interiorfrom fixed end wall to fixed end wall and also extends entirely across the space between the fixed side walls, means for applying a constant spring pressure to the top pressing plate in a manner tending to force the top pressing plate towards the bottom portion of the mold, a horizontally positionable adjustable end wall of predetermined area within the mold, which adjustable end wall conforms to the configuration of the interior of the mold, extends across the space between the side walls and is constructed so as to permit forward and rearward movement along the mold to vary the interior length of the same, and means operable from the exterior of the mold for positively moving said adjustable end wall to a horizontally 

